Rules
- 1 song per artist per list
- No set rankings (order is generally good to best)
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"Zinnia" - 9001
- co-composed by Jogon (vocalist, guitarist), Kim Junhyeop (former guitarist)
- written by Jogon
Music video
Live studio performance
I just discovered this band last year thanks to this single. "Zinnia" was originally created prior to 2022, but it had an official studio album release in 2022, so I don't count this as cheating. I was obsessed with this single for a number of months, and it was one of my most listened to songs on Spotify last year.
Zinnias, which are featured on the album cover, are a type of flower that symbolize steadfastness and lasting affection. The narrator of the song uses them as a symbol of their love for another person, however, the other person does not accept the flowers. The lyrics are well written and are both beautiful and melancholy.
As for the song itself, I really like the instrumental and the vocals. The instrumental is relatively simple for most of the song, but I love how spacious and soaring the chorus sounds. Jogon's vocals also really surprised me. I know you're not supposed to judge a person based on their looks alone, but I honestly wasn't expecting Jogon to have such a lovely voice.
I do like his vocals a lot, but there's just something about his vocals on this particular song that I really became attached to. 9001 released a number of songs after "Zinnia", but this is the only song I love so far. Maybe it's the way they layered the all the backup vocals with the main vocals? Well, whatever it is, because of this single's replay value for me, I felt it deserved to be towards the top of the list.
"Zinnia" English translation
"28 Reasons" - SEULGI
Album trailer
Music video (English subs available)
Music show performance (one take cam)
From the very first teasers, I knew I would love this song. The dark, mysterious Snow White inspired concept photos were stunning. The overarching theme of good and evil co-existing in all of us, meaning none of us are completely good or completely evil grabbed my attention as well. Seulgi really thrives in darker concepts like this, and I'm really glad she went in this direction for her solo debut. "28 Reasons" was released in early October, and it perfectly fit the Halloween season.
There were a lot of cool details in the teasers that fans pointed out on social media, such as adding in common Asian superstitions (e.g. whistling at night allows ghosts to find you and follow you home, cutting your nails at night can lead to possession). Being the very Americanized Asian-American that I am, I didn't know these superstitions beforehand. I've linked the trailer above because it's just a really cool, well done video.
Back to the song itself, it's a dark R&B electropop single that lures you in with its strong dark sound and mischievous yet sultry lyrics. I do like the song itself a lot, but I think it's the performance and Seulgi's charisma that elevate single. The mv is nice, but I wish it was a little more artsy and story driven like the trailer was. And I linked a music show one take cam instead of the official performance video because I prefer how the music show performance was filmed.
"Sunflower (P.E.L)" - CHOI YOOJUNG
- co-written by Choi Yoojung
Music video (English subs available)
Music show performance
So, I've been a pretty big Weki Meki fan for almost 4 years now, therefore putting their main dancer/main rapper's solo debut single in my "top 5" is probably pretty biased of me. Going by reviews I've read, it seemed like this song fell flat for most people. But this is my list, and I loved this song from the very first listen, so who cares what everyone else thought!
If you're wondering what P.E.L stands for, it means power, energy, love. I wouldn't call this a powerful song, but I do feel the energy and love in this single. It's not a fast paced song, but Yoojung's fabulous vocals, rap, and dance energize the relaxed, flowing instrumental. I think the instrumental really sounds like the end of summer, which is when this song released.
This single's groovy R&B undertone is supported nicely by catchy percussion beats. The relatively low-key instrumental allowed Yoojung to really show off just how multi-talented she is. Her raps are catchy but don't overpower the instrumental, her vocals are lovely, and the choreo?! Most soloists do less intense choreo compared to groups because they have to sing/rap the entire time without any breaks, and I completely respect that. But Yoojung decided to throw that convention out the window and gave us a non-stop energetic and fun performance!
As a So Cal girl, I have to point out that the mv was filmed in and around LA! I also recommend giving the music show performance I linked a watch; her live vocals are so stable and she still delivers the choreo perfectly. The energy and joy Yoojung and her dancers perform the choreo with is so infectious too!
"SMILEY(feat. BIBI)" - YENA
- co-composed by BIBI
- co-written by YENA, BIBI
Music video (English subs available)
Music show performance (with BIBI)
As I alluded to in my b-sides list, Yena was one of my favorite solo debuts in 2022. Like "Lxxk 2 U", "Smiley" is also rock, but this single is brighter and is more on the pop side of the pop rock spectrum. I loved the concept of Yena being a superhero whose power was spreading happiness. The music video is so fun and combines live action with comic book special effects and animation perfectly.
I also loved BIBI's feature, especially her appearance in the music video! Seeing her drop in as Yena's antithesis is always fun to watch. I think BIBI's last line "can the two of us be friends?" is really cute too. In the credits scene at the end of the mv, BIBI and Yena are so precious! I decided to share the first music show performance of "Smiley", because it's the only performance BIBI appeared in.
The choreo and performance are also very entertaining. The choreo isn't as intricate (like Yoojung's for instance), but Yena more than makes up for it with her facial expressions and her commitment to the concept. And, once again, Yena had great outfits for the entire "Smiley" era. This song and performance never fail to lift my mood, and I'm so happy Yena got her first music show win with this debut single too!
Other nominee(s): SMARTPHONE
"Wild Flower (with Yoojeen)" - RM
- co-written by RM
Music video (English subs available)
Live performance (with Youjeen)
Ok, those that know me may find this final pick a bit anti-climatic, but I just had to put this single at the "top". I was genuinely so moved by "Wild Flower", and songs that make me feel deep, complex emotions tend to stick with me the most. The beat, the guitar, and the melodies are all great. Also, the lyrics are beautiful and honest, and the second verse hits me hard every time. But, it's Yoojeen from the band Cherry Filter that really took this song to an entirely different level. Her vocals, especially in the final chorus, stir up so many emotions in me every time I listen to "Wild Flower".
I really wish RM had gone with "Flowerwork" as the title instead of "Wild Flower". There are some great threads on twitter about how brilliant "Flowerwork" is, so I'll link one here. In addition to traditional fireworks, RM also featured Nakhwa Nori — traditional Korean fireworks that float down instead of being shot into the air — in the mv, and it's truly beautiful! RM has been open about his love for nature, and I liked how he featured a number of beautiful landscapes in the mv. The live performance is also fantastic, Youjeen sounded amazing!
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This list took a lot longer than I expected it to, but at least it's finally done! The next list, k-pop group b-sides, was my most competitive, so hopefully it'll be interesting!
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